Minho turned around at Krystal’s instructions. She began to fix the collar at the back of his shirt. The two of them were at the dressing room. The other boys had already gone outside. Minho was the last one to finish getting dressed.

“Okay, turn around again,” Krystal instructed.

Minho turned 180 degrees, ending with his back to Krystal again.

“No, silly,” giggling, she grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and made him face her. “I meant turn back around and face me.”

She tugged at his collar and began fixing it. She was so close he could almost count the lashes framing her eyes. He could smell the perfume she was wearing and it was rather intoxicating. Minho began studying her features. Clear, honest cat-eyes, clear skin, small, pointed nose, red lips shaped like Cupid’s bow.

His eyes lingered on her lips. And without thinking, he slowly lowered his own lips to hers.

Krystal, shocked but pleased, stood there, her hands frozen on the collar of Minho’s shirt. Her heart began to beat wildly. She closed her eyes and waited for his lips to touch hers…which didn’t happen because the door to the dressing room suddenly opened and Taemin walked in.

Minho and Krystal jumped and immediately broke apart.

“Aish, you’re not done yet?” Taemin said, oblivious to the moment he just interrupted.

“We’re just…we’re…it’s finished. His shirt’s finished…I mean,” Krystal, her face scarlet answered incoherently. “I mean, you may go now.”

Minho didn’t really know what took over him and what had just happened. He followed Taemin out of the room.

………….

“I’ll see what I can do about it,” Jung Yong Sik told his son.

Yonghwa nodded. He had revealed his love story to his father. He had no choice, he needed his help.  His father knew Seohyun’s father. They are both businessmen and had attended the same university. Coincidentally, they are good friends, though not that close. And Yonghwa was thinking that maybe his father could help him get to Seohyun…through her father.

“You know what, I honestly want this Han Seohyun for you, too. She seemed like a good girl and when you were in high school she kept you from doing stupid things…and she helped you graduate,” Mr. Jung continued. Then he shook his head and chuckled. “I didn’t know you’ve grown fond of her and…ah, you were stupid to have done what you did, Yong.”

“Don’t tell me.”

His father nodded. “Han Dong Soon’s business had been struggling since last year and I’ve offered to save it if he would do a business partnership with me. Of course, he agreed. But now, I’d have to add something to my conditions, I guess.”

Yonghwa had a hunch as to what his father was getting into but he had to know if it’s right. “And that condition is?”

“That his youngest daughter marry my son. Brilliant, eh?”

Yonghwa didn’t really feel good about blackmailing Seohyun. She would hate him more. “I don’t think she will like that. And Mr. Han too…I don’t think he will like that. He doesn’t seem the type to sacrifice the happiness of his daughters for the sake of his business.”

“Mr. Han loves his small chain of health food stores, son. It has been in his family for generations. Surely he wouldn’t give it up so easily.”

“I don’t know, Appa. I really don’t like the idea of blackmailing these good people,” Yonghwa said.

“It’s not really blackmail, Yonghwa-yah. It’s just an offer. If they say no, it’s okay, we won’t force them. But then let’s hope they will or you’ll have to come up with another way in having the girl back.”

Yonghwa stood up. “This is really ridiculous. Just…just talk to his father and arrange for Seohyun to meet me so that I could explain or something…”

“If that’s what you want…” Mr. Jung nodded.

………………..

Krystal watched as the shooting for the music video of SHINee’s new single started. The model they hired to play the men’s love interest looked really sophisticated and y. And she kept looking at Minho. Her Minho.

“What do you think, unnie,” she whispered to Bo Ra. “Should I gouge her eyes out?”

Bo Ra rolled her eyes. “Just let them finish the shoot before that, Jung. Otherwise they would have no model and I’d have no choice but to step in her place.”

Krystal giggled.

A few shots later, everyone took a break. Krystal made her way to Minho and when she was but a few feet away, the music video model was already beside him. Krystal continued her way to them, anyway.

“Hey!” she smiled brightly at Minho and the girl.

“Hey,” the girl smiled back but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Minho also smiled, but he looked uncomfortable.

“So, you were saying earlier that you like models, right?” the girl turned to Minho, ignoring Krystal altogether.

Minho kept the smile plastered on his face. “Yeah. I mean, you guys are really beautiful.”

“Duh, of course they should be,” Krystal piped in. “It’s their job.”

The girl glanced at Krystal rather sharply but decided to ignore her. “Well, I’m really flattered with the compliment, but there’s more to modeling than beauty.”

Minho nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

Krystal tried to keep herself from rolling her eyes upward. The conversation is really going nowhere but to Miss-Look-At-Me-I’m-So-Damn-Hot model. And Minho looked stupid.

“Oppa, there’s something I need to show you,” Krystal said.

“What, now?” Minho asked distractedly. He let himself be pulled by Krystal.

“Oh, wait, wait,” the other girl held him back. She turned to Krystal. “Miss…er…Onew has been looking for you. He needs help with his outfit. His shirt got torn or something.”

Krystal looked at the model suspiciously. “Is that true, or you just made that up?”

“Excuse me?” the other girl looked offended. “I think you just insulted me. You called me a liar.”

“I did not. I just verified if what you said is true.”

“That’s just as bad as calling me a liar, Miss Seamstress.”

“Fine, I’m going. But it better be true, Miss Avatar,” Krystal retorted, her heels and left.

“You’re just jealous because I’m tall,” the woman called out.

“Well, I’m not exactly on the short side myself,” Krystal hollered without turning around. “And I didn’t call you that because you’re tall.”

I called you that because your ears are huge, she thought, but didn’t say it out loud. She doesn’t want trouble. Especially not in front of Minho.

…………………

“You really are biased,” Seohyun told Sue-ji. They were having tea inside a quaint café.

“Biased? You asked for my advice, Hyun and I gave you that,” Sue-ji said.

Seohyun sighed. Sue-ji has just advised her to give it a shot with Kyuhyun. She had been thinking it would be comfortable, painless and easier with him, but why is her heart saying otherwise? He’s just a friend, and will always be, she thought.

“Hmm…,” Sue-ji suddenly grinned wickedly. “Let me ask you something. Do you still love Yonghwa?”

“Of course not!” Seohyun answered readily. “After what he did to me? I’m not stupid.”

“Exactly! You’re a smart girl. You said Yonghwa is trying to win you back, right? And you don’t know if he’s sincere, though I think he isn’t…”

“And? What’s your point?”

“Why don’t you use this opportunity to get back at him?” Sue-ji suggested.

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, why don’t you be nice to him? Accept him, seduce him, and make him fall in love with you. And if he’s already into you…leave him hanging.”

“Huh? You do say the most ridiculous things, Sue-ji-yah. I’m not like that. No, I’m not doing it.”

“Can you be not yourself for at least a while? That’s why people take advantage of you. You’re such a good girl. Why don’t you try being a bad girl for a change?”

“I don’t know. You’ve been reading too much novels,” Seohyun shook her head.

“What? Are you afraid to do it, Hyun? Are you afraid that you’d fall in love with Yonghwa all over again if you spend time with him?”

“No.”

“Then why are you such a coward?”

“I’m not. I’m just not doing it. End of discussion,” Seohyun said firmly.

Sue-ji didn’t answer and just kept on looking at her best friend. She knew the wheels in Seohyun’s mind are turning.